Traveling to Colorado next month - anything I should be aware of?

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TomJ

TomJ

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Based on what I've read in another thread there seem to be different gun laws in Colorado depending on the municipality. We're going to Boulder next month and are renting a house for the week. We'll be all over the area, especially Rocky Mountain National Park. From what I've been able to find out there's a 15 round magazine limit and I can't carry in some parks and all municipal buildings. Is there anything else I should be aware of? It's the potential of inadvertently violating a law due to different municipalities having different laws that I want to especially watch for.
 
Didn't they remove pre-exemption?
A state like that allows any municipality to pass their own stupid gun laws, "assault weapons ban" or magazine capacity restrictions. Creating an intentional labyrinth of potentally contradictory gun laws.
 
When I went to ccw training for CO the trainer explained that Boulder and Denver don't honor any ccw permits. They will arrest and confiscate.
 
Yeah, its sucky, but the new local municipal ordnances are just that- NON-CRIMINAL municipal ordnances, and most are not even if effect yet. Very few Colorado armed citizens will be altering their behavior with regards to carry just to appease the virtue-signaling progressive buffoons on the various city councils. If you are concerned, bringing compact non-family heirloom sidearm with < 15 + 1 round capacity (per state law) would be appropriate for the one in a million chance it gets confiscated for some reason.

My family's nearly 60 year old mountain compound is very near Boulder- PM if you want to discuss the situation here on the ground.
 
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F-111 John said:
My number one resource is Gary Slider's Handgunlaw.us. Here is the Colorado section:

https://handgunlaw.us/states/colorado.pdf
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Thanks for this info. It's good to know that prohibited places need to be posted so there are no surprises. What would have gotten me into trouble is the following:
Note: It you carry off body in a fanny pack/purse or in the console or glove box and a person under 18 is near or riding in your vehicle with you that person under 18 could be considered to have access to that firearm violating the law. People have been charged with Child Endangerment using this law in Colorado. The firearm does not have to be loaded. If the firearm and ammo are within close proximity of the person under 18 it is a violation.

When we hike in the wilderness, which we will do there, I usually carry two guns, my primary carry gun and a revolver in a fanny pack loaded with snake shot. My 15 year old and one of his friends who is also 15 will be with us, so I would have been in violation of this. I'll need to think of something else.
 
TomJ said:
Thanks for this info. It's good to know that prohibited places need to be posted so there are no surprises. What would have gotten me into trouble is the following:
Note: It you carry off body in a fanny pack/purse or in the console or glove box and a person under 18 is near or riding in your vehicle with you that person under 18 could be considered to have access to that firearm violating the law. People have been charged with Child Endangerment using this law in Colorado. The firearm does not have to be loaded. If the firearm and ammo are within close proximity of the person under 18 it is a violation.

When we hike in the wilderness, which we will do there, I usually carry two guns, my primary carry gun and a revolver in a fanny pack loaded with snake shot. My 15 year old and one of his friends who is also 15 will be with us, so I would have been in violation of this. I'll need to think of something else.
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I guess it has happened (per Gary?) but that would be extremely rare, and I suspect as an add-on charge supplementing other more serious malfeasance. There are a lot of gun owners and shooters here in CO, and MANY of them with kids. The concept that you don't travel with your weapons while with your kids are in the car is really a non-starter. More detail on what those cases actually consisted of would be useful- I suspect a gang activity origin.
 
A few things about Colorado from my perspective as a Denver resident.

1: Avoid downtown Denver, as there is nothing but trouble to be had there in my opinion. If you are traveling around the Denver metro area, avoid a street named Colfax. Nothing good happens on Colfax.
2: Pre-emption was repealed by the legislature, and there is political squabbling about it. Conservative sheriffs have said that municipalities and even the state can make any law they want, but they won't enforce them.
3: Do be aware that Denver owns multiple properties well away from Denver in the mountains (Denver mountain parks). Denver ordinances and law applies there. Most of those sheriffs who would be responding to those areas won't enforce Denver law there. Douglas county is attempting to take over one of those parks, as it is completely surrounded by Douglas county. Red Rocks will generally have Denver officers if a call is placed or there is a concert or event there.
4: Not a lawyer, but contrary to popular belief, if you owned your 16+ round mags before 2013, you can bring them here. It is on the prosecutor to prove that you didn't own them before that time.
5: Don't drive around with a loaded rifle in your car. They can get you on game laws (poaching). If you plan on bringing a semi-automatic rifle, do be aware that there are local ordinances that may trip you up.

Now the do's:

1: If you get a chance to go to Brainerd Lake, do so. Go for a quick hike to and around Long lake. It is absolutely gorgeous. Watch out for moose though!
2: Check out some of the state parks along the Front Range. I recommend seeing Staunton State Park and Roxborough State Park.
3: Despite what I mention about Red Rocks above, it is a pretty neat place to see. It has good views of the metro area and unique rock formations.
 
P89DCSS said:
Hmmmm, should I trust a certified NRA instructor with first hand knowledge or an anonymous self-appointed "expert" on the internet. But the anonymous expert "suspects its just add-ons"....lol, go for it 455.
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Trust whomever you want. But I can point to at least one among the population of "certified NRA instructors" for CCW who was full of ____ when it came to the laws about carry.
 
I may have missed it but as an aside, if you haven't already, look at RMNP's website regarding timed entry registration. The park has become so busy you can no longer wander in at your leisure.
Also Boulder, the "other" land of fruits and nuts, is extremely anti-gun. Be very discreet and you'll be fine.
 
speedingpickle said:
…Be very discreet and you'll be fine.
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That is a useless response to the OP’s question about what the law is. There’s a difference between doing things legally and getting away with committing a crime. Not getting caught is fine until one gets caught. The jails are full of people who didn’t expect to get caught.

At THR suggesting, encouraging, condoning, or suggesting how not to get caught is not welcome.
 
My apologies, I certainly didn't mean to imply doing anything illegal!

To clarify, I only meant that while visiting, and complying with the law, even a walk from the hotel to the car carrying your weapon in a case (for example) could lead to trouble you don't want.
I had a holster (empty) snag on the seat belt that got flung out when I opened the door and a woman near by told her friend "Oh my god he's got a gun!"

Boulder is a very, very different universe.
 
We're leaving Tuesday morning and I've been double checking things to make sure I stay legal, specifically with the magazine limit. If what I'm seeing is correct while there's a state limit of 15 rounds municipalities in Colorado can pass their own laws, some of which now have a 10 round limit. What we're left with is a patchwork of laws where a 15 round magazine is legal in some places but not in others. I'm playing it safe and only bringing 10 round magazines, but I hope this is challenged in court.
 
TomJ said:
We're leaving Tuesday morning and I've been double checking things to make sure I stay legal, specifically with the magazine limit. If what I'm seeing is correct while there's a state limit of 15 rounds municipalities in Colorado can pass their own laws, some of which now have a 10 round limit. What we're left with is a patchwork of laws where a 15 round magazine is legal in some places but not in others. I'm playing it safe and only bringing 10 round magazines, but I hope this is challenged in court.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a reasonable, prudent plan.
 
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